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Brooklyn Nets: Steve Nash talks Spencer Dinwiddie trade rumors

ByJerry Trotta|
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 28: Spencer Dinwiddie #26 of the Brooklyn Nets controls the ball during the second half of an NBA game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on February 28, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 28: Spencer Dinwiddie #26 of the Brooklyn Nets controls the ball during the second half of an NBA game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on February 28, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Nets head coach Steve Nash spoke about Spencer Dinwiddie this week.

For the last month, Brooklyn Nets fans had no way of knowing whether GM Sean Marks would break up the team’s promising young core (and elite depth) to acquire a third superstar to pair alongside the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

However, with the start of the 2020-21 regular season less than two weeks away, it appears that the fan base can go to sleep at night with the assurance that the key components of the Nets’ roster will remain intact.

The James Harden buzz was promptly squashed on Thursday when it was revealed that Houston wouldn’t accept any trade package from Brooklyn that didn’t feature one of Durant or Irving. In no universe would the Nets ever entertain the thought of trading either one of them with three years remaining on their respective deals.

Prior to Wednesday, the same couldn’t be said for Spencer Dinwiddie, who’s recent cryptic social media activity seemed to hint that he wanted out of Brooklyn. However, head coach Steve Nash’s latest comments about the 27-year-old guard indicate he isn’t going anywhere.

"“I’m heavy voting towards not trading Spencer, and I think the front office feels the same way,” Nash told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s a unique situation because he’s a free agent at the end of the year, but we all love him, and we know it’d be very difficult to do better than Spencer in a trade.”"

It doesn’t get any more direct than that, folks. With Nash seemingly in lockstep with the entirety of Brooklyn’s front office, these comments should put any rumors about Dinwiddie being dealt prior to the start of the new campaign — or at any point this year, for that matter — on the back burner.

If that somehow wasn’t enough to convince you, perhaps Nash lauding Dinwiddie’s craft will do the trick.

"“He’s an outstanding basketball player, high IQ, has a good feel for the game,” Nash continued. “He’s an outstanding athlete, and he’s skilled. He’s a big point guard who can play off the ball, can play multiple positions, can make plays for his teammates and can score. So you’ve seen it in the past. He’s played heavy loads for this team, so he gives us a lot of versatility.“There’s a lot of gaps to fill around Kevin (Durant) and Ky, and he can fill a number of them — whether he’s creating plays for them or whether he’s spotting up or he’s taking on defensive assignments. It’s a joy to have a player like that with that much talent and versatility in our lineup. So I love him, and I just want to try to maximize his usage.”"

With Irving fully recovered from shoulder surgery, it’s likely that Dinwiddie, despite his starting-caliber talent, will be relegated to the sixth man role he excelled in a few years back when he finished second in the NBA in both points and assists off the bench.

In 2019, Dinwiddie logged career-highs in points (20.6) and assists (6.8), both of which led the team, while shooting 41.2% from the floor. If we learned anything from Nash’s comments — other than that he probably won’t get traded, of course — it’s that the former second-round pick will play a major role for as long as he’s a member of the Nets.